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Last week, I returned from an exciting photography trip that was dedicated to exploring Utah’s backcountry.

I spent 10 days driving dirt roads deep inside the deserts and mountains of Utah. I drove along some iconic dirt roads like Bull Trail, Hole in the Rock, and Cottonwood Road, all of which have deep roots in Utah’s rich history.

To accomplish such a trip, I needed two things: a high clearance car and dry weather. Most of the dirt roads in Utah are composed of clay and are unpassable when they are wet regardless of what car you are driving.

I originally intended to take this trip last spring, but I had to change all my off-road plans on the fly because of the rainy weather that occurred in the third week of May.

This time, everything went according to plan. I secured a Jeep Wrangler for 10 days and the weather was perfect, hot, and dry.

I took the featured photo during the spectacular but very rough and bumpy 100km Cathedral Valley Drive in Capitol Reef National Park.

I was on my way to the Cathedral Valley Campground, which is a unique place on its own. It is located at an altitude of 2,400m and offers an unobstructed and open view of Cathedral Valley. The campground has only five spots and works on a first come first serve basis. I wanted to secure a spot for the night as early as possible.

This is when I stumbled on the Lower South Desert Overlook. I did not know about its existence and had not seen any photos of it as I planned the trip. When I witnessed the view from the overlook, I was completely overwhelmed by the enormity and beauty of the scene. I remember I had a similar feeling when I visited the Grand Canyon for the first time.

Unfortunately, the photo does not convey the scale of the scene or its vastness.

www.phototraces.com/deconstructing-photo/lower-south-dese...

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